This is a revised, expanded, and re-recorded version of an episode that was originally released in 2020.
William "Big Bill" Thompson was a larger-than-life character who served as Chicago mayor for three terms and is viewed as one of the most corrupt politicians this great city has ever seen.
Robert Loerzel's piece on Eugene Williams in the August 2019 Chicago Magazine:
https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/August-2019/Searching-for-Eugene-Williams/
Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory
Further reading (purchasing these items through these links help support our efforts at no additional cost to you):
City of Scoundrels: The 12 Days of Disaster That Gave Birth To Modern Chicago by Gary Krist
Paperback - https://amzn.to/42sfVya
Kindle - https://amzn.to/40KwjZh
Big Bill of Chicago by Lloyd Wendt and Herman Kogan
Paperback - https://amzn.to/4ggZOqe
Big Bill Thompson, Chicago, and The Politics of Image by Douglas Bukowski
Paperback - https://amzn.to/4hvIMG1
Al Capone's Beer Wars: A Complete History of Organized Crime in Chicago During Prohibition by John J. Binder
Hardcover - https://amzn.to/4aSKXB7
Chicago History Podcast (chicagohistorypod AT gmail.com):
Chicago History Podcast Art by John K. Schneider (angeleyesartjks AT gmail.com)
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.